PENSACOLA — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced Tuesday that 16 non-U.S. citizens were convicted of federal immigration-related offenses during June, including multiple individuals encountered in Okaloosa and Walton counties.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 15 of those convicted pleaded guilty to or were convicted of illegal reentry after previously being removed from the United States. One additional individual was convicted of voting as a noncitizen.
“Our citizens deserve to know that our federal government is committed to securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute criminal illegal aliens who think they can lie, cheat, and steal their way into our country,” U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin said in a statement.
Among those convicted were several individuals encountered by law enforcement in Northwest Florida.
Authorities said Alcides Miguel Martinez-Martinez, 42, of Honduras, who had previously been removed in 2009 and 2015, was encountered in Okaloosa County on March 21, 2026.
Also encountered in Okaloosa County on March 21 was Miguel Ico Martinez, 29, of Mexico, who prosecutors said had been removed three times in 2024.
Additional Okaloosa County cases included:
- Gabriel Garcia Hernandez, 41, of Mexico, was encountered on April 1 after a previous removal in 2024.
- Dania Chaver-Pereira, 31, of Honduras, was encountered on April 4 after three prior removals.
- Wily Antonio Escobar-Canterelo, 29, of Honduras, was encountered on April 8 after two previous removals.
- Juan Molina-Hernandez, 36, of Honduras, was encountered on May 2 after a prior removal in 2023.
- Iran Gomez-Aguilera, 43, of Mexico, was encountered on May 4 after a previous removal in 2019.
- Juan Contreras-Vilches, 47, of Mexico, was encountered on May 7 after five previous removals between 2017 and 2019.
In Walton County, prosecutors said Moises Siquic-Tiul, 39, of Guatemala, was encountered on April 13 after previously being removed in 2015 and 2017.
Other convictions involved individuals encountered in Escambia, Leon, and Santa Rosa counties.
The remaining conviction involved Jacqueline Wallace, 54, of Jamaica, who was convicted of voting as a noncitizen.
The investigations were conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department.
Federal prosecutors said the cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative focused on immigration enforcement, transnational criminal organizations and violent crime.
Court records indicate the convictions stem from previously filed federal indictments. Sentencing information was not included in Tuesday’s announcement.
